WHY TOPEKA?
OPPORTUNITY
A place to live
Topeka consistently ranks as one of the top 10 most affordable cities in the United States, with Kiplinger naming it the fifth least-expensive place to live in 2022. With a cost of living that falls 19.4% below the national average in Topeka, it’s a great place to plant your roots! Washburn has excellent residential options on campus, as well, with the new 350-bed Lincoln Residential Hall and 400-bed Living Learning Center offering a suite experience for new students and the Washburn Village gated apartment-style complex perfect for students after their first year. Greek Life is another great living option for students who want to live in a close-knit community on campus. In addition, Washburn students get free parking on campus and can get free rides on all of the Topeka Metro's bus routes using their iCard. Find out more about what makes Topeka a great place to live!
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A place to learn
Knowledge is power, and Topeka empowers its students. In addition to four successful school districts providing excellent K-12 education, Washburn University offers a quality, affordable post-secondary education within easy driving distance for the residents of Topeka and Shawnee County. Washburn University is nationally renowned for several programs, including its School of Business, School of Nursing, College of Arts and Sciences, School of Applied Studies and School of Law. It was recently rated the No. 1 Midwest public regional university in Kansas by U.S. News and World Report. The University is committed to helping you achieve with such programs as the Center for Student Success and Retention in place. Washburn’s May 2022 graduation rate of 54 percent was not only a University record, but also the highest rate among regional Kansas schools.
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A place to prosper
Washburn graduates thrive in Topeka, in part because of minimal student debt and a variety of high-paying jobs available locally upon graduation. Low tuition rates and great scholarship opportunities mean you won’t be paying off your education for decades to come like at some other universities. With a 2:1 job-to-employee ratio in Shawnee County, graduates can find work close by in good-paying industries such as health care, law, state and local government, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and a variety of other successful local businesses. They also can follow the path of an entrepreneur with the help of Washburn’s Small Business Development Center and become a titan of industry. Choose Topeka also offers incentives for local employers to hire Washburn graduates, reimbursing half of their hiring bonus, up to $15,000, after a year of living and working in Shawnee County. Further, many Ichabods get their feet in the door through jobs and internships while they’re students.
Find out how successful you can become at Washburn!
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A place to belong
Topeka has a great sense of community, with many ways to get involved, especially on Washburn’s campus. With more than 130 student organizations and 16 varsity athletics teams, as well as a strong slate of campus events, there is always something going on at Washburn. Additionally, Washburn is committed to cultivating an inclusive learning, living and working community. Also, check out some of the amazing things you can do in Topeka, including visiting the NOTO Arts District and Downtown Topeka for entertaining nightlife, catching dinner and a movie at Wheatfield Village, discovering the history of the Civil Rights movement at the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site or attending NHRA drag races or the Country Stampede at Heartland Motorsports Park. Find out even more amazing things you can do in Topeka!
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A place to return to
With a rotating collection of art at Mulvane Art Museum, a busy lineup of musical performances and theatrical performances at Garvey Fine Arts Center and gameday tailgating at Yager Stadium, there are dozens of reasons you’ll find yourself coming back to Washburn even after graduating. By joining the Alumni Association, you’ll stay connected and engaged with the Washburn community and its network of 4,000 members and nearly 40,000 alumni living in all 50 states and several foreign countries. With a membership, you’ll be able to engage with other alumni through free or discounted events like After Hours and Wake Up With Washburn, take advantage of hundreds of discounts to local and national businesses and travel around the globe on trips with other alumni, offered three times per year. Looking to move back to Topeka? Choose Topeka offers a $5,000 incentive for Topeka natives to return if they purchase a home in Shawnee County and make at least $50,000 working at a local business
Explore Alumni AssociationVideo: Washburn and the Topeka Community
No other place like Washburn
A place to live, learn, prosper and belong. Alumnus Angel Romero encompassed all the above as a student and still does as a citizen deeply invested in Topeka and his alma mater.
Angel came to Washburn from Junction City, thriving while finding his passion as a political science and law student. He received a bachelor of arts in the former and a juris doctor in the latter.
“All those things that come into play in my day job about communicating and problem-solving, and thinking about community challenges … I can trace it all back to my experiences at Washburn,” Romero said. “Washburn is a place where you get to know people, build relationships and really get to connect in a way that you wouldn’t with others.”
Angel got involved in the community as an undergraduate student and has continued to since graduating from Washburn. He currently works as the vice president for resource development for United Way of Greater Topeka and is a member of the Washburn University Board of Regents.
“The cool thing is Washburn’s always had that practical experience and outlook on things,” he said. “The faculty here are really intentional about making sure you get to do things hands-on and you get that experience in the community.”
In Angel’s case, the experience to help him live, learn, prosper and belong at Washburn and in Topeka.
Free bus rides for Washburn students
Topeka's size makes it easy to navigate, and you can get almost anywhere across town in 15 minutes or less! Our public transit options also make getting across town easy and affordable. After enrolling at Washburn or Washburn Tech, you gain access to free bus rides on any of the Topeka Metro's fixed routes with your Washburn iCard. This benefit makes moving to Topeka and getting around town a breeze, even if you don't have a vehicle.
For those who do have access to a personal vehicle, parking is also free at Washburn. If you've been to larger universities, you'll know that's not always the case! The campus is also easy to navigate.
